Inspiring Change

From business heavyweight Fred Done, to youth ambassador Jeremiah Emmanuel, to footballing legend Gary Neville, this year has been extraordinary for meeting some incredible characters.

Throughout 2018 I’ve interviewed so many inspiring people for the Mind Your Own Business podcast. To kickstart 2019, I want to share with you a few of the highlights of the series so far.

These people are guaranteed to change the way that you look at life. They’ve shown bravery in true adversity. They have chosen to change the world and have certainly changed my perception on many aspects of life.

Listen in below and subscribe via iTunes, Stitcher or Soundcloud to keep up with the latest episodes as they are released.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Richard Walker: Changing the World one Mince Pie at a Time

Richard Walker is the person driving the supermarket’s eco-friendly focus. The son of Iceland’s founder, Malcom Walker, Richard took up the role of Managing Director in August 2018, pledging to remove plastics from Iceland’s own-brand packaging by 2023 and to replace palm oil with more sustainable alternatives. However, his decision to stand up for what he believes in made him the target of online smear campaigns.

In this conversation, Richard reveals what inspired him to join the family firm and why it’s important that Iceland continues to disrupt the status quo, using its influence to make a positive difference on the world.

Lawrence Jones + Jeremiah Emmanuel: Striving for Change

I truly believe people come into your life for a reason. My guest on this podcast is no exception. We met whilst taking part in the gruelling Virgin STRIVE Challenge in Morocco. At just 18 years old Jeremiah Emmanuel was the youngest on the team. Despite his young age, he delivered a speech that knocked me for six. In this episode Jeremiah reflects on his childhood in Brixton and how losing a friend to gun crime inspired him to set up a business empowering young people to achieve their potential.

Lawrence Jones + Freya Lewis: My Life after the Manchester Arena Bomb

Freya Lewis was just three metres away from the bomb that exploded at Manchester Arena on 22nd May 2017. The attack left her with catastrophic injuries. Freya’s best friend 14-year-old Nell Jones, who she’d been with at the Ariana Grande concert, was tragically killed in the attack.

In this inspirational interview Freya shares her incredible story. She talks about what’s kept her looking forward, how she has found strength in adversity and the dreams she now has for her future.

Lawrence Jones + Tom Hunt: How Cancer Has Changed My Perception of Life

Sometimes in life, things happen which stop you in your tracks. It changes your perception of the world and everything in it.

Tom Hunt had just finished his A-Levels and had gone travelling around Europe with friends. He was enjoying some freedom ahead of starting university, where he had a place to study medicine. Then, life threw him a curveball – he was diagnosed with leukaemia.

Determined not to be defined by cancer, Tom started documenting his journey on social media. Together with his brother, he is raising money for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

As Tom begins the toughest challenge he’s faced in his life so far he talks with me about how cancer has changed his outlook on life, why it’s made him even more determined to become a doctor and how sometimes the most difficult times in life may in fact prove to be some of the best.